New Delhi: India today said it was closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh which has been witnessing attacks on minorities since the campaign for parliamentary elections boycott by the opposition parties.
“We have been closely monitoring the situation,” spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said. Sheikh Hasina was yesterday sworn in for her second straight term as Bangladesh's Prime Minister, a week after her Awami League party secured a landslide win in the violence-hit general election.
The Awami League won over two-thirds of 300 seats in parliament in the January 5 polls which were described as a farce by the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance.
The opposition boycotted the polls, demanding a neutral caretaker regime to oversee the polls.
The opposition led by former premier Khaleda Zia tried to derail the polls by calling strikes and blockades.
Over 160 people were killed in poll-related violence since November.
In the wake of widespread attacks on Hindus in the country, Bangladesh had last week decided to set up special tribunals under an anti-terror law to punish the perpetrators of violence aimed at the minority community.
Suspected opposition activists attacked Hindus at several places during and after the polls, accusing the minority community of backing the Awami League.
